Flash sign



FLASH sIGN E. E. NEWILL Filed Jan. l0, 1931 auomafql/ March 19, 1935.

l/ l /l/ /ll Patented Mar. 19, 1935 l UNITED s'rnrlszslv PATENT OFFICE FLASH SIGN yEdward B. Newill, Dayton, ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Radio Corporation of America, NewYork, N. Y., a `corporation of' Delaware' d ,d M Application January 1o, 1931, sriaINo, '507,862

9 Claims; (C1. rvr-346i This invention relates to flashing signs and has or quick-shift mechanism 35 connected with al to do particularly with a device for" controlling movable part 36 forming a part of the coupler25. the sign so as to f eliminate interference with' The coupler 25 embraces a housingr 40 of mag" radio receiving apparatus of the mostsensitive netic material, open at the top and ttedwith a type f Radio receivers of modern day development are 42, 43,' 44 and 45. At one end-of the housing'40', extremely sensitive to electric disturbances of a pole piece 46 is provided that is rather centrally'l one kind or another, `especially in their immediate disposed thereof and presented between the faces vicinity. The principal .elements of electricalA of dielectric blocks 4 7 and 48 carried by the 'bot' panel orlid `41 insulatingly `supporting terminals 5,

l0 structures that are responsible for much ofthe tom wall of the housing 40 and the lid 41're`- 10;

interferenceof the radio apparatus, can be traced SpeCtiVely. A Xed COl 50, forming a SeCOIldaIY to electrical flashing signs and other equipment winding, terminates in leads v51 and 52 that havewhere there is frequent interruption of circuits. connections with the terminals 44and 45Sllpp01t- Electrical flashing signs, especially those which ed by thelid 41, and thence by means vof the lines demand high voltages, or are responsiblefor their 26 and 27 are connected with the illuminants 29? 15.

ashing due to opening 'and closing of power ofthe sign',the coil '50 being supported between lines, are one of the greatest sources of trouble. the blocks 47 and 48"and one end thereof substan- Itis therefore one of the objects of the-instant tially embracing the end of .the pole piece 1.65 invention to provide Ya rsystem and means for In v'the opposite end wall of the'housing 40, and

operating hashing signs in a manner Vthat will substantially in alignment with the pole p`iece'46',` 20

eliminate interference with radio apparatus. anon-magnetic bushing 53 is secured as bythe A further object of the invention is toprovide screws 54,that, supports the member 36 for slid-- a coupling unit between a power source and a ing movement therein. -Within'the housing 40? flashing sign, whereby the illuminants of the the member 36 provides an enlargement or coreC sign maybe caused to ash successively without 55, that SIlDDOItS a mOVabl OIvDTmaIY Winding 25 interruption of circuit. Y f 56 that has its terminals .connected'by leads 5"?"y A further object is to provide a coupling means and 58 respectively, with thel terminal-fmember for iiashing signs of the'class described wherein 42 and 43 carried by thefpanel 41, which termi a quick transition of thesign from the illuminated nals arek in `turnconnectedy with the Isource o to the darkened state may be accomplished. power` by Vmeans of the conductors 22 and '23." f-l 3b,

Further objects'and advantages of the present The coupling unit 2511135 be SUDpOlted from` invention will be apparent from the followingv a icommon base as is the motor ando-perating description, reference being had'to the accommechanism, by frame members 59, butl in allpanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment events issoassociated'with the quick shift mech-'i of one form ofthe present invention is clearly anism 35 that the movablefmember will ybe' 35.r

shown. operated upon to move the-winding 56 into and. In the drawing: out ofthe field of the winding 50. -The yextremes Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, with a part shown of these positions are illustrated inlig.` 1 and' f in section, of the improved sign flashing mecha- Fig. A.2, Whelen the windings are Without and nism as it is inserted in circuit with the signv and within inductive relation' respectively. For the 40 1,

power source, the illuminants being illustrated most successful operation-it has been found that 'in their darkened state. f v f i it is necessary to immerse the winding 56 within, Fig. 2 is a similar view, but with portions of and to withdraw from, the iield of the winding"-l the mechanism shifted in accordance with the 5.0 ina rather sudden or-snap like movement,

illuminants as illustrated in the glowing state. the present instance'thisis 'accomplished as will 'I 45 With particular reference to the drawing, 20 nowvbe described.V n I and 21, indicate the unes of a. power source that The snap mechanism 35 is Sup-ported ironia are connected by leads 22 `and 23A with a flash COmmOnbase by standards 60 and 61 providing? sign coupler 25 from which leads 26 and 27 -supbearings 62, andA 63, forthefworm shaft 31 here-fv v ply energy to `a lamp bank 28 for-the various. inbeforereferrd t0, and'tha'l'f S driven by J0118350 illuminants 29. The coupling unit 25 isoflpar-y motor 30= through any` desirable coupling union"V ticular formas will presently be described, and 64. These standards 60 and 61 have joiningv it is mechanically operable by means of "a motor branches and 66 that support a journal pin67. 30 through the agency of a drive shaft-Sl-driving forming the axis of the cam wheel 32,".l that car-` 55 vacarn wheel 32, periodically. operable upon snap ries the .camming blades 68 and 69. k'I'he standard 55 i' 61 carries an extension 70 that provides a journal pin 71 about which is pivoted a bell crank lever 72 and a link 73, the latter being loosely connected by pin and slot means with the shaft 36 of the coupling unit. On one end of the bell crank lever 72 there is provided a cam roller 76 that alternatelyengages the cam blades 68. and 69, while the other-end thereof provides an anchor or tie-pin 77 beyond which there is provided a stop lug 78 designed to cooperate with abutments 79 and 80 of a limiting arm 81 also secured to the standard 61.

The link 73 pivoted about the pin 71 as earlier stated, has pin and slot engagement with the member 36 of the coupling unit, the shaft 36 carrying a pin 82 received by a slot 83 of the link '73. The link 73 is operablyv connected so as to respond to the snap action or quick shift movement of the lever 72, in that it is provided with an anchor pin 84- to which` is secured one end of ar spring 85Lthat is secured at its other end to the anchor pin 77.l carried by thelever 72, thus providing a toggle like coupling between the lever 72 and the-link 73. g

In the operation of this flashing sign the motor 30g-receiving its energy from the power line will drive `the shaft 31,- andthrough a worm gear will rotate thecamwheel 32, in the illustrated embodiment in a clockwise direction as indicated,

by the arrow, and through rotation of the cam wheel 32 will cause the cam'blades 68 and 69 to alternately engage the cam roller=76 of the bell crank l72- This` alternate engagement of theV blades with the roller will cause the lever to pivot in yaccordance therewith about its support 71, carrying'with it the anchor pin 77 until the same has passedin its arc of rotation beyond the center line passing through the pivot 71 and the anchcor 84, whereupon the force stored up in the spring 85 will cause the link 73 to take up the movement and thereby shift the movable part 36 and inconsequence thereof the coilv 56l within the coupling unit.` `To insure that the force of thegspring `85 will be exerted only `in movement nism are shown ina position attendant upon4 darkening ofthe light bank 28, though the cam blade 69 has just engaged the cam roller 76, and its movement will causethe lever 72. to oscillate I about its pivot 71 until the tie-pin 77 has passed thecenter line passing throughthe pin 84 and thepivot 71, during which time the tie-pin 77. 4will'have moved over. substantially half the extent of the arm 81.and theroll 76 will be positioned betweeny the cam blades 69 and 87. AsA

soonV as the tie-pin 77 passes the said'center line the spring then vexerts its force to cause the link 73 to rotate in a clockwisey direction so as to decrease the angle of inclination between it and the leg ofthe lever 72'carrying the pin 77.. Since the lever 72 is restrained against rotation by the engagement of the roller 76 between the cam blades y69 and 87,the entire force .of the spring will be v`applied to `this yclockwisemovement `of the 'link 73, manifesting in the quick shift offthe: coil 56 toward theright, immersing itin the eld of the coil 50. Continued rotation of; the cam wheel `32carries the cam roller 76 theindicated center line, whereupon the spring 85 'exerts itself to cause the counterclockwise movement of the link 73 that-manifests in the -withdrawing of the coil 56, the blade 86 in this instance retaining the lever 72 against snapping fto the other limit 79, at least until after the force of the spring 85 has been applied to withdrawing the primary winding. Thereby, a quick shift of the mechanism is accomplished and the lighting and extinguishing of the sign, or the flashingof the light bank is accomplished without interruption ,of the circuits, since the secondary coilis energized and deenergized by the immersion and withdrawing, respectively, of the primary winding 56 relative to the fixed coil 50.

When the movablecoil is moved to the positionillustrated in Fig-2 the energy impressed thereon will induce a'current in the secondary winding `50 which flowing through the conductors 26 and 27 cause the illumination of the light bank r" 28. Withdrawal ofthe movable coil to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 will so reduce the induced current of the coil 50 that the light bank will be substantially deenergized or extinguished. lThus the flashing of the sign is accomplished without actual interruption of the., circuit. -A single switch 90 inserted inthe power line may operate to control'both the motor 30 and the energy supply-.of the movable coil 56, in that Way eliminating stopping of the mechanism as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which the light might continue to burn,

since opening of the switch 90 will not only de-` energize the motor but will also open the circuit to the movable coil 56.

,While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred vform, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichv follow.

What is claimed is as follows: v

1. An electric ashing sign comprising in combination; a light bank, a power supply for said bankand coupling means for impressing the energy of said powerv supply upon said bank, said means comprising a fixed secondary coil and a movable primary coil, a snap action mechanism arranged for periodically inserting the primary within the field of the secondary coil at a high velocity and means Vfor withdrawing the primary from said eld.

2. In an electric ashing sign operated from a power source, comprising in combination; a casing of magnetic material, a plurality of terminals mounted upon one panel of said casing, a xed coil supported within the enclosure and in electrical communication with a pair of said terminals,v a movable coil mounted for immersion in the eld of said xed coil and having electrical communicationv with others of said terminals, and av snap action device exteriorfof the casing for actuating 'said movabley coil and rapidly immersing it in the eld of said ixed coil, the terminals of said xed and movable coils being connected respectively with the ilashing sign to ber operated and a power source. and means for withdrawing Said movable coil from the field of said iixed coil.

3. In an electric iiashing sign, having an illuminating circuit energized from a power source, in combination; an inductive coupler including `a magnetic housing, a xed secondary in circuit with illuminante of said sign, and a movable primary in circuit with a power source, means for periodically immersing the primary in the field of the secondary for flashing of said illuminante, said immersing means including -snap action mechanism whereby a quick shift of the primary coil as it enters the eld of the secondary is accomplished, and the illuminants may be flashed without actual circuit interruption and means for withdrawingr said primary coil from the iield of the secondary. 4. An electric flash sign comprising in comb-ination, a pair of normally closed circuits, a light source in one of said circuits, a power supply of variable voltage connected to said other circuit, inductive elements for coupling said circuits .and

a snap action device arranged for moving one of said elements out of the field of the other at a velocity which is rapidly accelerated in one direction and which remains substantially constant during the remainder or its motion in said direction whereby the voltage supplied to said light source is rapidly reduced during the initial portion of the motion of said element.

5. In combination, a pair of normally closed circuits, a light source' in oner of said circuits, a source of variable voltage connected to said other circuit, inductive elements for coupling said cire cuits, a snap action mechanism for moving one of said inductive elements into the electrical eld of the other and rotary means for operating said snap action mechanism intermittently.

6. In an illuminating device the combination of a source of illumination, a coil in closed circuit lwith said source, a second coil connected to a source of power and a snap action mechanism connected to actuate one of said coils and to rapidly move it into the field of said other coil whereby the voltage impressed on said source of illumination is rapidly increased. n '7. In combination in a device for flashing a source of illumination, a housing, two coils in said housing, means for rconnecting one coil to said. 'source of illumination, means for connecting the coil and rotary vmeans for intermittently operati ing said snap mechanism and for withdrawing the movable coil i from the field of said other coil.

8. In combination, a load circuit to be energized,

a secondary coil connected to said circuit, a source of alternating current energy, a primary coilconnected to said energy source, and meansfor moving said primary coil into the field of `said secondary at a high velocity comprising, a link connected to said primary, an oscillatory two arm lever', a pivotal mounting for said link and lever a tension spring connecting said link and lever and movable across the axis of said pivot, a rotatable wheel carrying cam blocks arranged to alternately engage a projecting portion of said lever and means for rotating said wheel. i

9. The device described. in the preceding claim in combination with a pair of spaced apart stop blocks arranged to engage a projecting portion of said lever and limit the extent of its` oscillation.

EDWARD B. NEWILL. 

